Ashanti region: Midnight fire kills 15-year-old boy, destroys six-bedroom house at Suame Post Office
A devastating midnight fire has claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy and destroyed a six-bedroom residential building at Suame Post Office in the Suame Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The deceased, identified as Alhasan Asan, was burnt beyond recognition after becoming trapped inside the blazing house when the fire broke out at about 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday while occupants were asleep.
According to family members, the fire spread rapidly through the building, leaving residents with little time to escape.
Despite frantic attempts by neighbours and relatives to rescue those trapped inside, the teenager could not be reached before the flames engulfed the entire structure.
The inferno also destroyed household furniture, electrical appliances, clothing and other personal belongings worth thousands of cedis.
Speaking to Otec News reporter Simon Opoku Afriyie, the aunt of the deceased, Nana Akua, recounted the family’s desperate but unsuccessful efforts to save the boy.
“The fire spread very fast. Before we realised what was happening, the entire house was engulfed in flames. We tried everything possible to rescue him, but it was too late,” she said.
Residents who witnessed the incident described it as heartbreaking, saying they heard cries for help but could not enter the burning building because of the intensity of the flames.
“It was around 1:00 a.m. when we noticed thick smoke and flames. Everyone was screaming and trying to help, but the fire had become too intense. We are deeply saddened by what has happened,” one resident said.
Personnel from the Breman Fire Station of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded to the emergency and eventually brought the blaze under control.
However, some residents alleged that the responding fire tender arrived without water, a situation they claimed delayed firefighting efforts.
The police have conveyed the remains of the deceased to the mortuary for preservation and identification, while officers from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Police Service have launched investigations to establish the cause of the fire.
The tragedy has plunged the Suame Post Office community into mourning, with residents remembering Alhasan Asan as a respectful, calm and well-behaved young boy whose untimely death has left family members and neighbours devastated.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Francis Appiah
